78 The Founders of Geology LECT. 



twice renewed. Among so large a number of colleagues 

 he doubtless recognised that there were many who equalled 

 or even surpassed him in enlightenment or in mental 

 power, but he had the happiness to be assured that his 

 name would last as long as that of any one among them." 



For the sake of continuity in the narrative, I have traced 

 the labours of Desmarest from their beginning to their 

 close without adverting to those of his contemporaries. 

 His views regarding the volcanic origin of basalt were 

 adopted by a number of good observers, among whom 

 reference may be made to Easpe, Fortis, Dolomieu, Faujas 

 de St. Fond, Montlosier, and Breislak. But a still more 

 numerous and more blatant band, urged on its way by 

 Werner, opposed these doctrines. Although the contro- 

 versy raged through Desmarest's life, he took, as I have 

 said, no share in it. He made an occasional allusion to 

 the disorder and confusion that had been introduced into 

 a question which in itself was simple enough to those who 

 knew how to look at the actual facts. He asked reproach- 

 fully what would become of natural history and mineralogy, 

 if every question were treated as that concerning basalt 

 had been ? And he wrote somewhat scornfully of the 

 authors who, without having ever undertaken any re- 

 searches of the kind themselves, ventured in discussing 

 those of others to indulge in unfounded hypotheses. 1 

 When any belated straggler from the enemy's camp came 

 to consult Desmarest on the subject in dispute, the old man 

 would content himself with the answer, " Go and see." 



Leaving this controversy for consideration in the next 



1 See the article " Basal te " in vol. iii. of the Geographic Physique, pub- 

 lished 1809. 



